


Light on Water

by Laylah



Category: Suikoden V
Genre: F/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-04 17:05:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two weeks ago, Ferid had been nobody -- a pretty content nobody, really, seeing the world and enjoying his travels -- and now he was engaged to marry a princess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Light on Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chex](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Chex).



There was an Island Nations proverb that said a man's fortune could change fast as light on water, and it had never seemed more true than it did now. Two weeks ago, Ferid had been nobody -- a pretty content nobody, really, seeing the world and enjoying his travels -- and now he was engaged to marry a princess. He'd come south to Falena following the news that they'd be holding Sacred Games this year for one of the current queen's granddaughters; the Sacred Games was a tournament with a pretty impressive reputation, and it seemed like a shame to miss it, when he didn't have any other plans. He hadn't planned to compete -- even in the Island Nations, everyone knew the Games were ultimately a political thing, and one of the major Falenan noble families would sponsor the guy who eventually won.

But then he'd actually gotten to Stormfist, and on his first day there, he'd gone to see the fighters before the tournament started. There had been this kid there, twelve or thirteen, getting thrashed by some bruiser of a trainer because he hadn't done well enough in his match. Arena combat was one thing, but beating kids was something completely different. So Ferid stepped in.

When the guards got there to break it up, there were some nobles watching, too, fluttering and gossiping as the castle guards hauled Ferid off the bully. The cranky guy with the mustache seemed to be in charge, and he asked all the questions, but Ferid was mostly interested in the girl standing behind him -- about Ferid's own age, and beautiful, with bright eyes and thick curls of silvery hair framing her face. He wound up mostly talking past the mustache guy, explaining to _her_ why he'd stepped into the fight.

And it paid off, sort of, because then when the mustache guy started talking about throwing him in the dungeon, the girl stepped forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Wait, uncle," she said. She met Ferid's eyes with a look that was equal parts confidence and plea, and he was pretty sure he'd back her up no matter what she was about to ask him for. "I want him to be my champion in the Games."

From the murmurs that provoked, Ferid could tell it was something nobody thought she'd say. Beautiful _and_ daring, then. He liked her already.

"Impossible," her cranky uncle announced. "You know nothing about this man! He cannot be allowed to participate in the Games. Your future, and Falena's future, is too important."

"I know that he will not stand by when people are mistreated," the girl, the _princess_, answered calmly. "And that is more than I can say for some who would compete. The Barows have their champion. The Godwins have their champion. I only wish to name my own."

"He has no chance," the cranky uncle said, and if Ferid hadn't already decided to go for it, that would have decided him.

"I would be honored, your highness," he said, and the way she smiled was gorgeous, dazzling as sunlight on water.

It was the talk of the town, when she managed to get his name in the lists over the objections of both the Godwins and the Barows. More than a few people bought Ferid drinks in Stormfist's pub, those last few days leading up to the Games -- the ones who wanted to see the noble houses off-balance, it seemed, and there were a number of those. Sometimes they'd offer advice about how to handle one gladiator or another. Ferid drank, and listened, and thought about the guts it must have taken for Princess Arshtat to gamble on him like she did.

And then he won the Games.

Ferid wasn't really expecting it himself, but he at least had more faith in his own skills than most of Falena did. Godwin's champion was the last challenger left standing, and it was a tough fight, but when the opening came, that one perfect flicker of opportunity, Ferid took it. The panic was already starting when he dusted himself off and turned to salute the royal viewing box.

It would have made a good romantic ballad if he'd fought for her and been killed in the arena, but from the sound of things, nobody was prepared to see some island barbarian _actually_ marry into the royal family. It wasn't even as though he'd come into any power himself -- the Queen's husband traditionally commanded the Queen's Knights, but Arshtat wasn't directly in the line of succession, since her mother was the younger of Queen Olhazeta's daughters. Still, there was a quiet hum of panic in the air after the Games ended, as if Arshtat's choice and Ferid's success heralded a much deeper change.

They traveled east from Stormfist along the Feitas River, the entire royal party occupying a small fleet of carved, red-painted riverboats. Not at all by chance, Ferid was sure, he was placed on a different boat from the princess, not quite under guard but certainly not unobserved. When night fell, however, a young knight showed up to his cabin door with a note that she offered awkwardly to read for him if he couldn't. Ferid waved her off, and held the letter close to the lamp. Arshtat's hand was bold, expressive, forming each character with confidence:

_I hope my grandmother's knights are treating you well_, she wrote. _Further, I hope you do not find your situation unbearably confining. I have heard that you were a traveling swordsman before you came to Falena, and I can only imagine what a change in circumstances this must be._ There was a blot of ink there, as though she had paused to gather her thoughts; Ferid pictured her frowning thoughtfully at the page, marshaling words into order. _As yet I know little about you; I have seen your desire to protect those in need, and I have seen your prowess in battle, but I do not yet know the man behind these deeds. I look forward to spending more time with you in Sol-Falena and remedying that deficiency._ Her signature was a swooping flourish of curved strokes at the bottom of the page.

The young knight was watching him when he looked up. "Can you wait while I write a reply?"

"If you hurry," the knight answered. She shifted her weight awkwardly. "I was not supposed to leave her highness' side."

Ferid smiled. "I'll be quick." It seemed his betrothed made everyone bend rules on her behalf. He dug a brush and ink out of the desk in the cabin and did his best to write neatly.

_It is indeed a change, but not unwelcome_, he wrote. _I like to think that you have offered me the adventure of a lifetime, and I hope I can live up to your expectations. Your daring and courage has certainly already made a favorable impression on me. If you'd prefer not to wait on our acquaintance -- I am impatient for it myself -- then meet me at the flagship's bow when morning comes. Yours faithfully, Ferid Egan._

It was possible he could find sealing wax in the desk somewhere if he looked, but Ferid thought he might be better served to make an ally of Arshtat's guardian, so he handed the letter to her unsealed.

She skimmed its contents quickly. "The princess will not come to you alone," she warned.

"Of course not," Ferid agreed. "It's much too soon for me to have earned that much of either her trust or yours."

"Then I will bring you her reply," the knight said, "and if she likes your offer we will see you at dawn."

She was gone before Ferid could ask her for her name.

Were it not for the engagement awaiting him in the morning, Ferid thought it might have been the most restful night he'd had since he came to Falena. There was something comforting about the motion of a ship and the creak of her timbers, even traveling on a river instead of the sea. Sailors called the watches as Ferid dozed, waiting for the dawn.

He rose when the first light spilled cool and gray into his cabin. Few of the passengers would be up at this hour, but Ferid's father was a ship's captain, so he'd had plenty of practice rising for the early watch. He slipped out onto the deck and made the crossing to the flagship, barefoot, lightfooted on the lines that ran from one ship to the other. He'd have to make friends with some of Falena's sailors, if he was to stay here, and learn the particulars of river travel.

When he reached the bow of the flagship, the sky was beginning to lighten ahead of them, the first color filtering slowly back into the world with the coming sunrise. The river's current was slow, barely rippling the surface. Ferid leaned on the rails and watched the water, trying not to let himself listen too hard for approaching footsteps.

Which meant he barely heard the whisper of cloth before she was leaning against the rails beside him, looking out over the water with a tiny smile on her face. "Good morning," Arshtat said.

Her hair was drawn back from her face in a simple clasp instead of the elaborate arrangements he'd seen her in before, and her robe had none of the complicated folds or embroidery that court dress seemed to favor. "You look beautiful," Ferid said. "Good morning."

"Thank you," Arshtat answered. She glanced over at him, then looked out across the water again. "The adventure of a lifetime, hmm?"

"It sounds that way, I have to admit." Ferid did his best to match the lightness of her tone. "Coming to a foreign land, winning the right to marry a princess? And..." He hesitated, but she deserved more than empty pleasantries, and it would be good to know what he was getting into. "From the rumors, it seems as though this is...an interesting time for Falena."

Arshtat nodded once. "The succession...may not go smoothly. Both my mother and her sister want the throne, and the noble families of Godwin and Barows encourage them to pursue it. My grandmother's health begins to fail, of late."

He'd seen similar struggles in the north already, though he wasn't so personally involved there. "And you?" Ferid asked. "Where do you stand? Do you favor one house over the other?"

"Truthfully, I favor neither," Arshtat answered. "I think their squabbles over power do little to benefit Falena." She reached over then and took his hand in hers. "I am grateful that I will not be bound to either house's schemes personally."

Ferid laced their fingers together. Ahead of them, the city of Sol-Falena was just visible in the distance, white stone glowing with the light of the rising sun. "You deserve better," he said. "I might not be able to offer you much in the way of alliances, but I promise that you'll never have to worry about where my loyalty lies."

Arshtat squeezed his hand. "Thank you," she said. "I am glad you won the Games."

The rising sun chose that moment to crest the city ahead of them, blazing, golden, as they sailed toward Sol-Falena, into a brilliant spill of light on water.


End file.
